Vietnam vets have last supper at Maria’s before it closes

Wednesday

Dec 4, 2013 at 8:59 PMDec 4, 2013 at 10:15 PM

By Chris GreenRockford Register Star

ROCKFORD — As incoming rockets exploded on the other side of a U.S. base camp near Pleiku, a town in central Vietnam, two young Army soldiers in May 1969 sat overnight on a hilltop more than 10,000 miles away from their families in Rockford and made a pact:

“We said, ‘If we ever get back, lets have a steak at Maria’s,’” said Vietnam veteran Nick Parnello.

In 1976, Parnello and Joe Falzone kept their promise and enjoyed steaks and pasta at Maria’s Italian Cafe. More importantly, they continued to meet at the Cunningham Street restaurant where they talked about their war experiences and how the country, at the time, despised the conflict and those who served.

In early 1979, the two began to invite other Vietnam vets to join them for a monthly dinner gathering at the restaurant. At one such gathering was Rockford resident Mike Lenker, a five-year Vietnam prisoner of war.

“In a small room, we talked to him about his POW experience,” Parnello said. “And for two hours you could hear a pin drop. I went home and cried. It was so moving. I think that inspired the guys to want to be together even more. I just think it kind of bonded us.”

Born out of the group of veterans was VietNow, now a nationwide organization open to all veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces as well as their families. The organization has more than 30 chapters around the country.

War is the bond among the veterans. They talk, laugh, cry, but always enjoy a good meal at Maria’s.

Wednesday, more than 20 of the veterans were shoe-horned into Veteran’s Corner, a corner in the restaurant designated so by Maria’s owners. They gathered for what was to be their Last Supper Club meeting at the restaurant.

After serving Rockford for more than 90 years, the city’s most established, if not favorite family-owned restaurant, will close Dec. 31.

Veteran Manny Amato, who came up with the name VietNow, said Maria’s provided more than good food.

“The atmosphere here has always been conducive to the camaraderie of veterans,” he said.

Steve Cooper, an Iraqi veteran and National Guard chaplain, considered it an honor when the Vietnam vets welcomed him to the Supper Club.

“I grew up with Vietnam veterans as heroes,” he said. “When I got back from Iraqi, they looked at me as a brother.”

As strong as the emotions are among the veterans for Maria’s, the feelings are mutual. Maria’s co-owner John Cason never took it for granted that the vets chose his family’s restaurant to be their “base camp.”

“I grew up with a lot of the guys,” he said. “I know them by first name. They did a great service for our country.”

The group has yet to decide where they will continue to have their dinner gatherings.

“There’s never going to be another Maria’s,” Parnello said. “They really did a lot to make it homey for us.”

Chris Green: 815-987-1241: cgreen@rrstar.com; @chrisfgreen

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